Report: Terence Crutcher Was Shooting Gun On Street Before He Was Killed

The Tulsa World reports that a tip has told the defense attorney’s for Tulsa Police Officer Betty Shelby that Terence Crutcher was walking down the street firing a handgun on the day before he was ultimately shot and killed by Officer Shelby after he reportedly failed to follow commands and appeared to be on PCP according to Shelby, a Drug Recognition Expert.

In a motion filed by defense attorneys, Tulsa Police responded to that call and recovered a Glock firearm that had been reported stolen. The gun was turned in as a “hold for owner” rather than as evidence.

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“Betty Jo Shelby seeks to have the firearm preserved and held for evidence so that she may have the firearm tested for possible DNA and/or fingerprints and to be held as evidence to present in her defense for the charged crime of manslaughter,” attorney Shannon McMurray wrote.

This report follows another revelation by KOTV’s Lori Fullbright that Crutcher had a similar run in with police on the Oklahoma State University Campus is 2012. The OSU-Tulsa report says officers were investigating a shots fired call when they encountered Crutcher on April 27th, 2012.

The report says the officer pointed his rifle at Crutcher, who ignored repeated commands to stop and show his hands. The officer said Crutcher finally got on the ground, after being threatened with a Taser, but still did not show his hands.

After several warnings, the officer Tased Crutcher and, after more warnings to show his hands, Tased him a second time.

Once in custody, Crutcher told paramedics he was high on PCP and was taken to a hospital.

Just prior to the deadly encounter with Tulsa Police on September 16, 2016, Crutcher reportedly had a run in with campus police at Tulsa Community College.

There are conflicting reports on that encounter that range from the fact he was disoriented and asked to leave campus or that he could not find his class and had to be helped to class.

We will continue to update you on this story but one thing is clear, this is a very complicated case and the actions of Terence Crutcher on the day of the deadly incident and the days before will be a focal point in the defense of Officer Betty Shelby.

It would demonstrate 1) access to firearms 2) an inclination to use firearms and recently engage in dangerous and life-threatening behavior. The situation would have changed from a random guy standing in the street to a contact with a person known to possess and discharge firearms in public. And unless he was naked, it’s not hard to imagine him having a pistol in a waistband or on the seat of the car. BUT, I don’t think it’s true, because it’s pretty outrageous.

“The situation would have changed from a random guy standing in the street to a contact with a person known to possess and discharge firearms in public.”

Unless Ofc Shelby had been involved the day before and recognized Crutcher from that call, his actions were NOT “known” to her the next day, at the time of the encounter.

The only thing she “knew” at that moment was she had a guy whose car had ostensibly broken down in the middle of the road, who was non-cooperative / behaving The only thing she “knew” at that moment was she had a guy whose car had ostensibly broken down in the middle of the road, who was non-cooperative / behaving erratically.

Given what little I am being told, and what little I can see in the film of the shooting, I don’t necessarily begrudge Shelby for firing on Crutcher. Walking back to his car with his hands up, then lowering them when he gets to his car door?

But his actions the day before he was shot have no bearing whatsoever on her actions the next day, because she was simply unaware of them.

In this scenario we’re imagining, I would say that in a small town police department, she absolutely would have known. We’re not talking about two districts in NYPD. We’re talking small town, USA. Remember there was a helicopter overhead — a broken down car warranted a flyover from the local news station. If it were true, someone walking in the street discharging a firearm would have been extensively talked about. This isn’t a major metro PD.

Wikipedia says it’s the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 47th-most populous city in the United States.

I’m confident that Ofc Shelby knew nothing of Crutcher’s (mis)deeds the previous day. Indeed, she probably didn’t even know Crutcher’s name at the time she fired at him.

The ONLY things she knew were the circumstances she faced that night, as they unfolded: “Guy’s not responsive or co-operative. Guy’s not obeying commands. Guy’s walking back to his car instead of toward me. Guy’s lowering his arms … ” BANG.

stop crying
on October 4, 2016 at 8:13 pm

No way this Officer will be convicted. Just like Marilyn Mosby, the DA jumped the gun with the charges.

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